Bills connections to Super Bowl XLVIII

The NFL is a small world. Check out these Bills connections to the Broncos and Seahawks before Super Bowl XLVIII.

FORMER BILLS/SEAHAWKS

• Seahawks RB Marshawn Lynch was drafted 12th overall in the 2007 NFL Draft by the Bills and he played in Buffalo from 2007-10.• Seahawks QB Tarvaris Jackson was with the Bills throughout the 2012 season.• Bills DT Alan Branch played for the Seahawks during the 2011 and 2012 season.• Seahawks Head Coach Pete Carroll was the Bills defensive backs coach during the 1984 season.• Seahawks assistant offensive line coach Pat Ruel was the Bills offensive line coach during the 2003 season.• Bills General Manager Doug Whaley was an Area College Scout for the Seahawks from 1996-98.

NFL CONNECTIONS

COLLEGE CONNECTIONS

• Bills DT Marcell Dareus competed across the ball from Seahawks G James Carpenter every day at practice at Alabama during the 2009 and 2010 seasons. Combined to help the Crimson Tide win the National Championship in 2010• Seahawks OT Breno Giacomini and Bills C Eric Wood combined on the Louisville offensive line from 2005-07• Seahawks C Max Unger and Bills S Jairus Byrd played together at Oregon from 2005-08 as Unger played tackle and center and Byrd played safety.• Bills DB Aaron Williams and Seahawks FS Earl Thomas patrolled the Texas secondary together during the 2008 and 2009 seasons

FORMER BILLS/BRONCOS

• Broncos RB Coach Eric Studesville served in the same position with the Bills from 2004 to 2009• Broncos WR Coach Tyke Tolbert served in the same position with the Bills from 2004 to 2009• Bills OT Erik Pears played for the Broncos from 2006-08• Bills S Jim Leonhard played for the Broncos in the 2012 season

NFL CONNECTIONS

• Broncos Head Coach John Fox was the defensive coordinator for the New York Giants from 1997-2001 and Bills RB Coach Tyrone Wheatley was a running back with the team in the 1997 and 1998 seasons• Bills Special Teams Coordinator Danny Crossman was a special teams assistant with the Carolina Panthers from 2003-04 and then was Special Teams Coordinator from 2005-09 all while Broncos Head Coach John Fox was the Panthers Head Coach.• Bills LB Jerry Hughes played with Broncos QB Peyton Manning with the Indianapolis Colts during the 2010 season.

COLLEGE CONNECTIONS

• Bills OT Cordy Glenn and Broncos RB Knowshon Moreno played together in the 2008 season at the Univeristy of Georgia. Glenn was a true freshman starting at Guard and Moreno was a redshirt sophomore who would rush for 1,400 yards and 16 touchdowns on the season• Bills WR Stevie Johnson played with Broncos TE Jacob Tamme and LB Wesley Woodyard at the University of Kentucky in the 2006 and 2007 seasons• Bills CB Ron Brooks and Broncos KR/PR Trindon Holliday shared a locker room at LSU in 2008 and 2009• Bills WR T.J. Graham and Broncos LB Nate Irving were both members of the NC State Wolfpack from 2008-10• Bills Special Teams Coordinator Danny Crossman played under Broncos Head Coach John Fox at the University of Pittsburgh in 1987 and 1988